Kick the bucket Last updated March 31, 2020. Find more Portuguese words at wordhippo.com! In 1680 it referred to the capsizing of a canoe but also had the meaning "to die".[11]. To kick the bucket "die" (1785) perhaps is from an unrelated bucket "beam on which something may be hung or carried" (1570s), from French buquet "balance," a beam from which slaughtered animals were hung (by the heels or hooves). To kick the bucket is one of the many euphemisms meaning to die. A rope would be attached to a strong branch and a noose placed around the victim’s neck. What's the origin of the phrase 'Kick the bucket'? “the car kicked the bucket”), “to break down irreparably”.. This act and the subsequent expression would have originated in the late middle ages of England. To extend the leg away from the body; strike out with the foot or feet. There is no evidence to support this claim, and it appears rather implausible. Kick the bucket: To die Informal In suicidal hanging. Origin of Kick the Bucket. "Relics of Popery", Catholic Truth Society London. Oxford Advanced Dictionary of Current English, 4th Ed. One theory, regarding the origin of this idiom comes from the Middle Ages. Learn more. A common theory is that the idiom comes from a method of execution such as hanging, or perhaps suicide, in the Middle Ages. However, there are no citations that relate the phrase to suicide and, in any case, why a bucket? A noose is tied around the neck while standing on an overturned bucket. To extend the leg away from the body; strike out with the foot or feet. Older sources guessed it to be from Celtic. However, there is no evidence to support this. A likely source of this phrase comes from pig farming. 8. The term bucket list is a relatively new one, popularized by a movie of the same name starring American actors Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman released in the early 21st century. You're right, and it's enough to make one kick the bucket here. The link between buckets and death was made by at least 1785, when the phrase was defined in Grose’s Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue: One theory, albeit with little evidence to support it, is that the phrase originates from the notion that people hanged themselves by standing on a bucket with a noose around their neck and then kicking the bucket away. When friends came to pray... they would sprinkle the body with holy water ... it is easy to see how such a saying as "kicking the bucket" came about. The animals may struggle on the bucket, hence the expression. To kick the bucket is an English idiom, considered a euphemistic, informal, or slang term meaning "to die". [8] The expression occurs as the title of a mid-19th-century American minstrel ballad with the ending "Massa Death bring one bag and we Kickeraboo". In the case of the latter, the song refers to the death of a horse. What does kick the bucket, to expression mean? Definitions by the largest Idiom Dictionary. Goodbye! [2][4] William Shakespeare used the word in this sense in his play Henry IV Part II where he says:[2]. … Meaning: It is a euphemistic and colloquial way to say “to die” (eg. KICK THE BUCKET – “A suicide who stands on a pail, slips at noose around his neck and kicks the pail, or bucket out from under him would be the logical choice for the origin of this old slang term meaning to die. 'Kick the bucket' is a colloquial expression for 'die'. Sports a. The phrase first appeared in print in the "Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue" in 1785. Definitions by the largest Idiom Dictionary. Many other explanations of this saying have been given by persons who are unacquainted with Catholic custom. What does kick the bucket, to expression mean? "The doubts OED has about the Scandinavian origin of kick are probably unfounded" [Liberman]. Whenever I've needed something to stand on I can't recall ever opting for a bucket. 2. Bucket list "list of experiences or achievements one hopes to have or accomplish during one's remaining life," is by 2007, ... sink at the knees." Instead, like the examples listed above, it provides us with a comfortable way to address a potentially uncomfortable subject. It is believed that the origin of the term "bucket list" is closely related to the idiom "kick the bucket." Earliest in the biblical phrase that is now usually rendered as kick against the pricks. Its earliest appearance is in the Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1785), where it is defined as "to die". kick the bucket definition: 1. to die 2. to die 3. infml to die. ‘This would be an optimum age to kick the bucket, I feel, as I'd never have to suffer the indignity of reaching 40.’ ‘The film's title refers to a wish list that two terminally ill men try to fulfill before each kicks the bucket.’ ‘I always wanted to have a rich relative who kicked the bucket and left all his money to me.’ The mist begins to clear when we know that, in 16th century England, bucket had an additional meaning (and in some parts it still has), that is, a beam or yoke used to hang or carry items. Kick the bucket - definition of kick the bucket by The Free Dictionary. A common theory is that the idiom comes from a method of execution such as hanging, or perhaps suicide, in the Middle Ages. | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples Bucket, I may add, is not only well known in Norfolk in this sense, and commonly used, but with some of our folk is the only word known for the article in question. Useful advice if standing on a bucket - don't kick it. Also 'kick off' . The wooden frame that was used to hang animals up by their feet for slaughter was called a bucket. So, instead of saying “Ben died” we would say “Ben kicked the bucket”. Another, more plausible, theory refers to the archaic meaning of the word bucket, which used to mean beam in 16th century England. I have decided to donate my organs when I kick the bucket. A common theory is that the idiom refers to hanging, either as a method of execution or suicide. [2] The word "bucket" still can be used today to refer to such a beam in the Norfolk dialect. 9. The term bucket list is a relatively new one, popularized by a movie of the same name starring American actors Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman released in the early 21st century. A dictionarie of English and Latine wordes, 1570: and was used by Shakespeare in Henry IV Part II, 1597: "Swifter then he that gibbets on the Brewers Bucket." When the pail is kicked away, the victim is hanged. Then the victim fell and died. Origin: When killing a cow at slaughterhouses, people would place a bucket under the animal while it was positioned on a pulley. kick the bucket phrase. There are references to a different meaning of 'bucket list' online and in print that pre-date 2006. For as long as I can remember, in Britain, the expression “kick the bucket” has meant to DIE. The 'things to do before you kick the bucket' source for 'bucket list' is obviously correct. Look it up now! Look it up now! The term may have been introduced into English from the French trébuchet - meaning a balance, or buque - meaning a yoke. When I kick the bucket, bury me on top of that mountain. What does Kicked the bucket expression mean? ‘This would be an optimum age to kick the bucket, I feel, as I'd never have to suffer the indignity of reaching 40.’ ‘The film's title refers to a wish list that two terminally ill men try to fulfill before each kicks the bucket.’ ‘I always wanted to have a rich relative who kicked the bucket and left all his money to me.’ Its origin remains unclear, though there have been several theories. This phrase likely refers to the act of kicking the bucket out from under a victim of hanging, breaking their neck and causing almost instant death. To “kick the bucket,” then, is the sign of the animal’s being dead, and the origin of the phrase may probably, … She kicked the bucket . Life, Wishes. However, there is no evidence to support this. Origin and Etymology: If the phrase "kick the bucket " has its origins in the late 18th century, “bucket list ” is much more recent. Another theory of the origin of "kick the bucket" traces the phrase to a method of hanging oneself by standing on a bucket, tightening the noose, and then kicking away the bucket. Meaning Die. These relate to a sorting algorithm called a Bucket Sort. Justin Zackham is a screenwriter who used this term for the comedy-drama film named "the bucket list" in 2007. The other possible origin refers to a method of hanging oneself, which involved standing on a bucket, tightening the noose, and then kicking away the bucket. His heirs were greedily waiting for him to kick the bucket. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.219.5.61 06:24, 21 July 2009 (UTC) For anyone familiar with the process of butchering and hanging livestock, especially pigs, you might have heard “kicking the bucket” used to describe the flailing and kicking that occurs when a pig is hung upside down and its throat is cut. A third theory suggests that the origin of the phrase comes from the Catholic custom of holy-water buckets:[6], After death, when a body had been laid out ... the holy-water bucket was brought from the church and put at the feet of the corpse. [2] In John Badcock's slang dictionary of 1823, the explanation is given that "One Bolsover having hung himself from a beam while standing on a pail, or bucket, kicked this vessel away in order to pry into futurity and it was all UP with him from that moment: Finis". The idiom “kick the bucket,” meaning to die, does not originate from the concept of kicking a bucket out from under one’s feet. “he kicked the bucket” ) or, if referred to a machine (e.g. "[7] Here it is the death of one's reputation that is in question. See other phrases and sayings from Shakespeare. The wooden frame used to hang animals by their feet for slaughter was called a bucket. For as long as I can remember, in Britain, the expression “kick the bucket” has meant to DIE. Origin The wooden frame that slaughtered animals were hung from is known as a bucket. If the origin is 99% established then the meaning must rate as 100%. However, some etymologists say the phrase comes from an entirely different source. [To gibbet meant to hang]. Swifter than he that gibbets on the Brewers Bucket. Origin theories; American variations kick the bucket definition: 1. to die 2. to die 3. infml to die. Eventually, the whole thing wears down and we kick the bucket. See more words with the same meaning: to die . According to the OED (Oxford English Dictionary), its disputed etymology might come from: Someone standing on a bucket preparing to hang themselves, would then kick the bucket in order to commit suicide. Kick the bucket - definition of kick the bucket by The Free Dictionary. Term is derived from when suicides were common by a person preparing to hang themself, and used a bucket to stand on, and then kicked the bucket when suicide was desired. A bucket, or beam, was used to h… (idiomatic, euphemistic, colloquial) To die.The old horse finally kicked the bucket. Phrase used to say someone is dead or has deceased. The wooden frame used to hang animals by their feet for slaughter was called a bucket. What does Kicked the bucket expression mean? I think this page should be about the origin of the term, and linking to Death. To kick the bucket is an English idiom, considered a euphemistic, informal, or slang term meaning "to die". Sports a. Hanging was the preferred method of execution and trees were often used for this purpose. [3], The theory favoured by the OED relates to the alternative definition of a bucket as a beam or yoke that can be used to hang or carry things on. Phrase used to say someone is dead or has deceased. 2. The expression "kek(e)rebu" is first recorded in 1721 with the meaning "to die" in the Krio language of Sierra Leone. To “kick the bucket” simply means to die. 10. Origin theories A common theory is that the idiom refers to hanging, either as a method of execution or suicide. Origin Theories. Term is derived from when suicides were common by a person preparing to hang themself, and used a bucket to stand on, and then kicked the bucket when suicide was desired. When someone was sentenced to death, a rope was put around their neck and then the bucket they were standing on was taken away. The link between buckets and death was made by at least 1785, when the phrase was defined in Grose’s Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue: "To kick the bucket, to die." Portuguese words for kick the bucket include morrer and falecer. Origin Theories. Bucket list comes from the phrase ‘to kick the bucket’ which is a figure of speech meaning ‘to die’. What does kick the bucket expression mean? Meaning: v. pass from physical life and lose all bodily … Yet another theory seeks to extend the saying beyond its earliest use in the 16th century with reference to the Latin proverb Capra Scyria, the goat that is said to kick over the pail after being milked (920 in Erasmus' Adagia). 2. “Kick the bucket” is one of the most obscure and intriguing idioms in the English language (and one of my favorites). It occurs in the jazz classic Old Man Mose, recorded by Louis Armstrong in the United States in 1935, and in the West Indies it figured in the title of the reggae hit “Long Shot kick de bucket”, recorded by The Pioneers in 1969. While the origins of the phrase kick the bucket might be more shocking than some expect, this phrase no longer has the intensely morbid connotations it may have had in the past. A person standing on a pail or bucket with their head in a slip noose would kick the bucket so as to commit suicide. kick the bucket, to phrase. Origin and usage. We all know what a bucket is - and so this phrase appears rather odd. Find more similar words at wordhippo.com! It does seem a bit far-fetched that a bucket was such a common device in hangings. Its origins are fairly gruesome! See more words with the same meaning: to die . And the meaning of kick the bucket is 'to die' and along with the list, it means, the list of things which a person is willing to do before he dies. The 'things to do before you kick the bucket' source for 'bucket list' is obviously correct. Portuguese words for kick the bucket include morrer and falecer. Why should kicking one be associated with dying? Definitions by the largest Idiom Dictionary. Kick the bucket definition at Dictionary.com, a free online dictionary with pronunciation, synonyms and translation. The term 'kick the bucket' originated in the 16th century. Kick the bucket definition at Dictionary.com, a free online dictionary with pronunciation, synonyms and translation. Its earliest appearance is in the Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1785), where it is defined as "to die". (1989). Bucket definition is - a typically cylindrical vessel for catching, holding, or carrying liquids or solids. This theory doesn't stand up any better than the supposed buckets did. In John Badcock's slang dictionary of 1823, the explanation is given that "One Bolsover having hung himself from a beam while standing on a pail, or bucket, kicked this vessel away in order to pry into futurity and it was all UP with him from that moment: Finis". Find more similar words at wordhippo.com! The OED, however, says that this is mainly speculative; An archaic use of bucket was a beam from which a pig is hung by its feet prior to being slaughtered, and to kick the bucket originally signified the pig's death throes. Origin of Kick the Bucket. We all know what a bucket is - and so this phrase appears rather odd. Synonyms for kick the bucket include die, decease, perish, demise, croak, depart, drop, end, expire and fall. That meaning of bucket was referred to in Peter Levins' Manipulus vocabulorum. 7. 1. Kick The Bucket - Origin Theories. At one time the American and Caribbean expression "kickeraboo" used to be explained as a deformed version of "kick the bucket". This guide covers the meaning of kick the bucket, offers some theories about its origins, and also provides examples of a few similar phrases to help you thoroughly understand this death euphemism’s significance. kick the bucket: [verb] to die. kick the bucket: [verb] to die. The hapless victim, having climbed onto a bucket to put their head in the noose, would literally ‘kick the bucket’ in their death throes. [12] A related phrase is to "hand in one's dinner pail", a bucket that contains a worker's dinner. [5] It is thought that this definition came from the French word trébuchet or buque, meaning "balance". Not unnaturally they were likely to struggle or to spasm after death and hence 'kick the bucket'. [9] However, it is now thought that it may have derived from a native word in one of the West African creoles. Find more Portuguese words at wordhippo.com! His heirs were greedily waiting for him to kick the Bucket. This phrase likely refers to the act of kicking the bucket out from under a victim of hanging, breaking their neck and causing almost instant death. Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary, p. 787. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kick_the_bucket&oldid=994858774, Articles containing Spanish-language text, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 17 December 2020, at 22:18. ‘This would be an optimum age to kick the bucket, I feel, as I'd never have to suffer the indignity of reaching 40.’ ‘The film's title refers to a wish list that two terminally ill men try to fulfill before each kicks the bucket.’ ‘I always wanted to have a rich relative who kicked the bucket and left all his money to me.’ This expression is used to refer to someone's death in a light-hearted or... | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples Its origin is unclear, though there are several theories. Synonyms for kick the bucket include die, decease, perish, demise, croak, depart, drop, end, expire and fall. The old lady had lead a solitary life, but when she kicked the bucket, the whole neighbourhood came to her funeral. The second theory uses a bit of linguistic history. The death spasms of the animals caused them to kick the bucket I'm afraid she kick the bucket before me if she meets you. Another word for kick the bucket: die, expire, perish, pass away, buy it | Collins English Thesaurus Definition of kick the bucket, to in the Idioms Dictionary. This act and the subsequent expression would have originated in the late middle ages of England. There are references to a different meaning of 'bucket list' online and in print that pre-date 2006. To kick the bucket "die" (1785) perhaps is from an unrelated bucket "beam on which something may be hung or carried" (1570s), from French buquet "balance," a beam from which slaughtered animals were hung (by the heels or hooves). Kick the bucket definition: to die. Bucket list comes from the phrase ‘to kick the bucket’ which is a figure of speech meaning … John Camden Hotton, The Slang Dictionary, London 1865. In North America, a variation of the idiom is "kick off". How to use bucket in a sentence. Similar words: bucket, rock the boat, lick the dust, rickets, picket line, take the bull by the horns, buck, kick. [10] Earlier still "Kickativoo" is recorded in Ghana (then known as the Gold or Slave Coast). A common theory is that the idiom refers to hanging, either as a method of execution or suicide. Magnus Huber, Ghanaian Pidgin English in Its West African Context, John Benjamins Publishing Co. 1999. While trying to adjust the animal, the cow would kick out its legs and therefore kick the bucket before being killed. [2][4] The "bucket" may refer to the beam on which slaughtered pigs are suspended. ing , kicks v. intr. Another theory relates to the alternate definition of a bucket as a beam or yoke that can be used to hang or carry things on. From Middle English gibet, from Old French gibet (French gibet), either from Frankish *gibb (“forked stick”) or from Latin gibbus (“hunchbacked”). Why should kicking one be associated with dying? 11. One method of slaughtering a pig used to involve hanging it upside down from a beam in the barn designed for the purpose and called a “bucket.” In its death throes, the dying animal would then, naturally, kick the bucket. Contents. [5] Another variation, "bucket list", or a list of things to do before one dies, is derived from "to kick the bucket".[13]. Thus a promising beginning is followed by a bad ending or, as Andrea Alciato phrased it in the Latin poem accompanying the drawing in his Emblemata (1524), "Because you have spoilt your fine beginnings with a shameful end and turned your service into harm, you have done what the she-goat does when she kicks the bucket that holds her milk and with her hoof squanders her own riches. Learn more. Meaning Die. [1] Its origin remains unclear, though there have been several theories. The death spasms of the animals caused them to kick the bucket The OED finds this a more plausible theory. [1] Its origin remains unclear, though there have been several theories. These relate to a sorting algorithm called a Bucket … The phrase first appeared in print in the "Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue" in 1785. A noose is tied around the neck while standing on an overturned bucket. The term 'kick the bucket' originated in the 16th century. Alternatively, in the moment of death a person stretches his legs (Spanish: Estirar la pata means "to die") and so might kick the bucket placed there. ing , kicks v. intr. Whatever African American usage might have been in the 19th century, by the 20th century they were using the idiom "kick the bucket". What does kick the bucket expression mean? One common theory is of hanging, when a person standing on a bucket with a noose over the head kicks the bucket and hence, dies. Kick the bucket To kick the bucket is an English idiom, considered a euphemistic, informal, or slang term meaning "to die". Origin. To kick the bucket definition: If you say that someone has kicked the bucket , you mean that they have died. Kicked the bucket phrase. Untitled2. 1. Definition of kick the bucket in the Idioms Dictionary. The old dog finally kicked the bucket when the winter got too harsh for him. It has to do with an older meaning of bucket that refers to the wooden beam often found in a barn roof, where an animal carcass might be hung. If the origin is 99% established then the meaning must rate as 100%. This is part of a complete episode. When the pail is kicked away, the victim is hanged. What’s the Meaning of ‘Kick the Bucket’? Origin and Etymology: Its first appearance dates back to 1785 in Francis Grose's work, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue. However, there is no evidence to support this. She kicked the bucket . Origin and usage. But the true origin of the term “kick the bucket” goes even further back. Some believe the origin of the expression goes back to the days when public executions were the norm for various crimes from theft to murder. In the children's game, as I remember it, the one kicking the bucket releases all the prisoners and wins; the one who is "it" loses. Kick the calendar To die Slang, informal Polish saying. 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